Kuwait’s 360 Mall is set to undergo a major KWD 100 million expansion featuring a new, state-of-the-art tennis complex, luxury hotel and increased retail facilities, developer Tamdeen announced on Monday. The new Sheikh Jaber Al Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah International Tennis Complex will have a combined stadium seating for over 7,600 people across two main arenas, the company said.

Each arena will have the capacity to hold 4,000 and 1,600 people respectively with eight indoor courts and eight outdoor courts in the hope of attracting ATP tournaments and some of the world’s top players. Spectators will have direct access to the tennis arena from the mall, from the 2,000 car multi-storey parking and from the 6th Ring Road.

President of Kuwait Tennis Federation and the Arab Tennis Federation and chairman of Asian Tennis Federation Sheikh Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said: “The [complex] will become one of the world’s best tennis facilities in line with ITF and ATP standards, thus putting Kuwait on the world’s tennis map. “We are drawing the best of designs from similar tennis facilities globally and will provide Kuwaitis with playing conditions that will match the world’s best.”

The facilities will also provide a base for a tennis club targeted at young aspiring sportsmen in Kuwait. Sheikh Ahmad added: “Kuwaitis have a long history of tennis and we produce some of the top players in the GCC. It is time we showcased to the world our sporting prowess and infrastructure.

“Few facilities in the world offer such indoor tennis facilities adjacent to a fine range of outdoor courts. This is unprecedented except for the Grand Slam grounds.” When the main tennis arena is not being used for tournaments, it will host leisure and recreation activities, confirmed chairman of Tamdeen Group Mohammed Jassim Al Marzouq.

The overall expansion project will also feature a five-star hotel, new retail brands and restaurants, a ballroom and a health club. The newly expanded mall with the tennis complex is expected to open by 2019, the company said.

The expansion is hoped to increase footfall by at least 30 per cent to over 18 million visitors. “This will be the first time in the world that retail, sports and entertainment come together under one roof and on this scale,” said Al Marzouq.

“We are committed to Kuwait and to the development of tennis in Kuwait which we believe is a sport where the country excels. Through this project we will provide world class tennis facilities for the country.”

Kuwait’s retail market has faced a decline in the last year, with the country’s ranking on AT Kearney’s annual Global Retail Development Index falling from eighth place in 2014 to 27 in 2015. The report attributed the drop to the effects of lower oil prices on the economic outlook of the country.

“Although short-term factors such as have led to Kuwait’s decline, the long-term prospects remain strong,” it said.

Retail sales are projected to grow at 6 per cent annually through 2020, driven by ongoing urbanisation, a growing expatriate workforce and a rising population of the young and affluent. “Kuwait has one of the highest standards of living in the world, with a GDP per capita of $44,000, making it a prime destination for luxury retailers,” the report added.